Splash guard



R. F. DENZER Jan, 17, E950 SPLASH GUARD Filed June 17, 1947 MG- LMZZ,

Patented Jan. 17, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPLASH GUARD Raymond F. Denzer, Attleboro, Mass.

Application J nine 17, 1947, Serial No. 755,211

3 Claims. (01. 36-70) My invention relates to improvements in leg protecting splash guards for shoes.

All women, whether wearing high or low heels, particularly including smart young ladies with high heels, kick up their heels backwards while walking and throw a lot of mud and water over their legs or dresses when out in the rain or mud. While this may not seem much of a problem to the layman, it is surprising how much dry and clean stockings mean to the ladies, and the amount of time spent by stenographers and factory workers in washing and cleaning their stockings during working hours on rainy days would amaze any employer. The problem, therefore, is prescut.

I am aware that the prior art has recognized this problem and attempted to make various types of splash guards for this purpose, none of which have proved commercial or satisfactory, usually comprising an attachment built on to the shoe or overshoe or a detachable attachment so loosely hung as to be impractical and of insufficient size and improper shape to be effective in use.

An object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a practical solution for this long felt want, i. e., a practical leg protecting splash guard for shoes which is sold as a separate unit entirely apart from the shoes which can be readily detached when not desired and quickly attached even on the street.

A further object of my invention is to provide a splash guard constructed of a thin integral sheet of resilient material and so shaped that it will positively remain in guarding position, providing a positive dam for water and mud drops in use.

A further object of my invention is to provide a splash guard which can be attached with no more trouble than inserting a shoe horn within a shoe.

A further object of my invention is to provide a splash guard which is not only resilient,

2 vide a splash guard which, with the rest of the shoe and foot, provides a symmetrical, pleasing and attractive appearance, forming a pleasing background to enhance the beauty of a trim ankle.

These and such other objects of my invention as may hereinafter appear will be best understood from a description of the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side perspective view of my invention attached to a worn shoe, illustrating how the guard portion thereof provides a positive dam in use.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the shoe, ankle and guard shown in Fig. 1, with the heel portion of the shoe upper and the splash guard being shown in vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a plan view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the parts shown in Figs. 1-3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of my improved splash guard detached.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation generally similar to Fig. 1 showing my device in use on a low heeled shoe. Fig. '7 is a side elevation showing how the guard portion thereof bends along its line of fiexure on abutment of a raised heel against an object such as a stair tread in walking to prevent it from tripping the wearer.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of r reference generally indicate like parts throughout, ll] generally indicates'a leg protecting splash guard for shoes constructed in accordance with my invention.

My improved splash guard is constructed of a thin preferably integral sheet of preferably resilient material such as metal, suitable plastics such as synthetic resins, regenerated celluloses, etc., rubber and the like.

Said splash guard is provided with an upper end l2 shaped in the form of an enlarged hook having an inner shoe'horn arm 14 preferably transversely concaved like a shoe horn adapted to be inserted between the shoe heel upper I8 and the back of the heel 20 of the wearer for hanging said guard I0 on the upper edge of the heel portion of the shoe upper being clamped in rigid position against said shoe upper by the heel 20 of the wearer. Said splash guard also includes a preferably integral semiskirt portion 22 projecting obliquely downwardly and out wardly a substantial distance from the outer arm of the hook to form a dam to prevent water or mud drops from being thrown upwardly by the heel 24 of the shoe 26 in walking.

As stated, the upper hook end i2 is preferably provided with an inner shoe horn arm 14 preferably transversely concaved as at I6, of the general curvature of the heel portion [8 of the shoe upper and the wearers heel 20, in general like a proper sized shoe horn which may be readily inserted or interposed between the shoe heel upper I8 and the back of the wearers heel 20 without taking off the shoe. Thus, all the wearer has to do is to transversely concaved take my improved splash guards out of herbag and reach down and slide them into .the shoes on the first appearance of any shower, which any lady can do even on the street withoutattracting much attention.

Said hook I2 is of generally U shape, the inner shoe horn arm l4 forming the inner U arm. Said hook I2,therefore, has a' U base 28 ofsemicircular or arcuate shape looped over the upper edge of the shoe heel upper 1 8 and a preferably shorter outer U arm 30 projecting downwardly from said loop 28 over the outer surface of the heel upper 18 at a closely spaced distance from said inner horn arm M, with said inner arm l4, outer arm 30 and base 28 forming the hook I2 and hanging said guard on the upper edge 32 of the heel portion [8 of the shoe upper.

In accordance with one feature of my invention, said outer U arm 30 may terminate in a thinner transversely grooved (preferably inwardly) portion forming. a line of fiexure 34. Whether or not said grooved portion 34 beemployed, I-attach, preferably integrally, :axsemiskirt portion 22 to the lower end of said outer arm 30 or groove 34 whereemployed to. project obliquely downwardly and-outwardly a substantial distance from said thin portion 34:01. outer arm 30 so as to positively form a dam to prevent Water or mud drops from being thrown upwardly by the heel in walking as :shown in Figs..1 and 6. While said skirt portion maybe of;any suitable shape, bellshape or otherwise, :so long as it. be of a sufiicient lengthto achieve its dam function, I preferably construct it as shown of semielliptical formation of an ordinate slightly greater than the Width'of the shoe with the angle of its wall increasing to a substantialangle at the rear focus 3B of said ellipse, and preferably being, provided with an outwardly flaring bell rim 4!). terminating in a substantially horizontal edge.

Ihe front edge..42 of the skirt is of generally U shape with each U leg 44. projecting obliquely downwardly and forwardly and with its .base 46 attached to the 'rear' edge of said outer arm .30.

Fig. 7 illustrates how my improved splash guard is capable of resiliently bending along the line of flexure 34 to permit the splash guard skirt 36 to bend upwardly on abutment-of a raised'heel 24 against an object such as the stair tread 46 in Walking and prevent it from tripping the leg 48 of the wearer, thereby providing a device which will positively not cause any harm to the wearer thereof in use.

It is apparent, therefore, that I have provided a novel type of splash guard for shoes, positive in its-action, readily attached and detached in the manner explained by merely inserting the inner arm Hi between the 'rear end-of the wearers heel 20 and the heelportion l8 of the shoe upper and similarly detached by pulling said inner horn arm 14 outwardly from said position and whichfif desired, maybe constructedto positively not cause any harm to the wearer in use and with the other advantages mentioned above.

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1... A leg protecting splash guard for shoes, comprising .a .thin' integral sheet of resilient plastic material having a U-shaped upper end, having a inner shoe horn arm adapted to be interposed between the shoe heel vupper and the back of the wearers heel, a U base looped over the upper edge of the heel upper and a shorter, outer U arm projecting downwardly from said loop .over the heel upper at a closely spaced distance from said inner horn arm forming a hook for hanging said guard on the upper edge of the heel portion of the shoe upper terminating in a thinner, transversely grooved portion forming a line of flexure and an integral semiskirt' portion projecting obliquely downwardly and outwardly. a substantial distance from said thin portion in semielliptical formation of an ordinate slightly greater than the width of the shoe with the angle of its well increasing to a substantial angle at the rear focus of the ellipse and having an outwardlyflaring bell rim to .form a dam to prevent drops frombeing thrown upwardly by the heel in walking and being capable of resiliently bending .at the line of fiexure .to prevent abutment of a raised heel against an object in Walking from tripping the .wearer.

2. A leg protecting splash guard for shoes, comprising a thin integral sheet of resilient material havi-nga U-shaped upper end, having a transversely concaved inner shoe horn arm adapted tobeinterposed. between the shoe heel upper and the. back of the wearers heeLa U base looped over the upper edgeof the heel upper and an outer, U arm projecting .downwardlyfrom said loop overxthe heel supper at a closely spaced distance from said inner horn arm forming a hook for hanging said guard on the upper edge of the heel portion of the shoe upper terminating in a thinner, transversely grooved portion forming a line of flexure and an integral semiskirt portion projecting obliquely downwardly and outwardly a substantial distance from said thin portion in semielliptical formation of. anordinate slightly greater than the width of the shoe with the angle of its wall increasing to a substantial angle at the rear focus of the ellipse and having an outwardly fiaringbell rim to form a dam to prevent drops from being'thrown upwardly by the heel in walking and being capable of resiliently bending at the line. of flexure to prevent abutment of a raised heel againstan object in walking from tripping the wearer.

3. A leg protecting splash guard for shoes, comprising a sheet of resilient material having a U- shaped upperend, having a transversely concaved inner shoe horn arm adapted to be interposed between the shoe heel upper and the back ofthe wearers heel, a U base looped over the upper edge of the heel upper and an outer U arm projecting downwardly from said loop over the heel upper at a closely spaced distance from said inner horn forming a hook for hanging said guard on the upper edgeof the heel portion of the shoe upper, terminating in a thinner, transversely grooved portionformingaline of flexure and a semiskirt portion projecting obliquely downwardly and outwardly a-substantial' distance from said thin portion to form a dam to prevent drops from being thrown upwardly by the heel in walking, and being capable of resiliently bending at the line of flexure to prevent abutment of a raised heel against an object in walking from tripping 5 the wearer.

RAYMOND F. DENZER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 10 file of this patent:

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